July 18: What Happened on This Day in History

• 2021: Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada publicly expressed a preference for a political resolution to the ongoing conflict with the Afghan Government, despite the Taliban's significant territorial advances. He emphasized that the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan remains committed to finding a stable political solution, even as military gains continue to accumulate.
• 2014: US President Barack Obama stated that the United States has increasing evidence that the missile which brought down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was launched from Russia by Ukrainian separatists, directly holding Russia responsible for the escalating crisis in Ukraine.
• 2004: Todd Hamilton secured a remarkable victory at the prestigious Royal Troon Golf Club, winning The Open Championship in a memorable performance.
• 2002: Forgent Networks announces its intention to enforce patent rights over the JPEG image compression standard, a widely used technology on the World Wide Web. This move challenges previous patent disputes, particularly in contrast to Unisys' earlier efforts regarding GIF image compression standards.
• 1999: On a memorable day celebrating Yankees legend Yogi Berra, pitcher David Cone achieved baseball immortality by throwing a perfect game against the Montreal Expos. The New York Yankees won the game 6-0, marking the 16th perfect game in Major League Baseball history. Cone's extraordinary performance was a remarkable display of pitching precision and skill.
• 1995: A DC-3 aircraft crashed near Antananarivo, the capital of Madagascar, resulting in a tragic loss of 34 lives. The incident highlights the aviation challenges in the region during the mid-1990s.
• 1994: Crayola, the renowned American art supply company, announced the launch of scented crayons, adding a new sensory dimension to children's coloring experiences.
• 1988: Terrorists affiliated with Abu Nidal Organization conducted a deadly attack on the City of Poros cruise ship, killing 9 passengers in a brutal act of violence that highlighted the ongoing tensions in the Mediterranean region.
• 1985: On July 18, 1985, the Soviet Union conducted an underground nuclear test at one of its designated nuclear testing sites, likely in the remote regions of Kazakhstan or Novaya Zemlya. This test was part of the ongoing nuclear arms race during the Cold War period, demonstrating the USSR's continued nuclear weapons development and technological capabilities.
• 1981: On July 18, 1981, the Polish Communist Party selected Edward Gierek, a former party leader, in a significant political maneuver during the tumultuous period of communist governance in Eastern Europe. This leadership selection occurred during a time of growing social and economic tensions in Poland.

How to check someone's birthday?

If you’re looking for a person's birth date, have a look at our Birthday Search Guide

July 18th marks the 199th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (or the 200th in case of leap years).

There are 166 days remaining until the end of the year.

July 18th is the 18th day of the month of July.

What day of the week is July 18?

On July 18th, 2025 the day of the week is Friday.

Holidays and Observances on July 18

The zodiac sign associated with July 18th is Cancer according to the Western Zodiac.

More about July 18 zodiac

What is special about the Cancer sign?

• Cancer personality traits and attitude
• Cancer most and least compatible signs
• Why July born are so special